ACLU sues for legal justification of Trump’s Caribbean boat strikes

Trump’s vessel strikes claim to combat drug trafficking, but experts argue their impact on drug flows is negligible.

Rights groups, including the ACLU, have filed a lawsuit demanding transparency on the Trump administration’s legal justification for targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels, which has resulted in at least 86 civilian deaths since September. Legal experts dispute the administration’s assertion that drug trafficking constitutes an armed conflict, calling the strikes illegal under U.S. and international law. Critics also highlight the negligible impact of these strikes on drug flows, questioning their true purpose amid heightened tensions with Venezuela. The lawsuit aims to expose the Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion that allegedly legitimizes these actions.